EDTECH IS ESSENTIAL
Analyzing the 100 Most-Accessed Solutions
There are thousands of edtech solutions—in fact, we’ve cataloged over 11,000 in the LearnPlatform Community Library. With so many tools in the market, it is challenging to know which are safe, which “play nice” with other systems, which are compliant with regulations and policies, which are eligible to be purchased using federal funds, and which will have the most impact for which students in which context.
Data Privacy
Student and educator data privacy is a consistent area of focus and concern for K-12 organizations. We considered 3 well-known, independent sources of privacy evidence to understand the lay of the land for these 100 solutions.
Takeaway: Vetting edtech solutions for safe data practices and privacy compliance has never been more important. There are plenty of data points available, but districts need to ensure understanding of local laws and communicate with providers.
Effectiveness Research
Thoughtfully designed research is critical to understanding what edtech solutions work for which students and in what contexts. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) outlines 4 levels of evidence designed to ensure edtech efficacy and ongoing innTakeaway: These results show that having (and sharing) ESSA-aligned research is just taking flight, even for established, well-known edtech solutions. However, large districts, including Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools, are increasingly requiring this information from vendors and in RFPs. ovation. Edtech solution providers must demonstrate achievement of one or more ESSA levels to be eligible for various federal funding programs.
We analyzed the ESSA-aligned research behind the 100 most-accessed solutions. To get a broader picture of the edtech research landscape, we also considered other published effectiveness research on provider websites and Google Scholar.
Other Certifications
Educators look for high-quality, standards-aligned and accessible content to put in front of students. For indicators of these criteria, we looked to Digital Promise and ISTE.
Interoperability
The ability for edtech solutions to work with each other is critical for maximizing efficiency. We considered 5 indicators of interoperability put forth by 2 independent organizations, Project Unicorn and 1EdTech.
Takeaway: Content alignment and product interoperability certifications are also just taking flight, and solution providers aren’t consistently seeking them out. School, district and state leaders need to demand solution providers meet those they find most valuable.
EDTECH RANKINGS BY SOLUTION PURPOSE
The 100 Most Accessed Solutions
In our 2023 EdTech Evidence Report, we wanted to understand the reputable, publicly available 3rd party evidence behind the edtech solutions most frequently accessed by students and teachers. We considered data privacy, interoperability and standards alignment certifications, as well as ESSA-aligned research and came to one overarching conclusion—edtech evidence is just taking flight. Here are the 100 most used learner and educator-focused tools used for this report.
The EdTech Evidence Report